


Live to die another day

by gothbyleth



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Blood and Injury, Established Relationship, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), no beta we die like Glenn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:26:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24322753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gothbyleth/pseuds/gothbyleth
Summary: Ferdinand is reckless and takes a dangerous blow in battle, collapsing soon after they claim victory. Linhardt is fortunately near and heals him immediately, but the stress from the circumstances and fear that he nearly lost Ferdinand makes him lose his usual composure.
Relationships: Ferdinand von Aegir/Linhardt von Hevring
Comments: 2
Kudos: 34





	Live to die another day

**Author's Note:**

> My eyes are still bad so I couldn't make this as long as I had hoped (nor could I proof read it), but I've had this one in mind for a few months so I'm glad to have it written nonetheless!
> 
> A FEW NOTES ABOUT THE DEPICTION OF HEALING SPELLS:
> 
> * In this story healing comes at a cost and if one is not careful it can drain from the healers own being and life force.  
> * Healing mends skin, bones and wounds but not always correctly. It can be hard to tend to correctly if healed fully so it's mostly just done to fix the worst of it/stop bleeding etc.
> 
> I didn't go into too much detail about it in this work, but I plan to do so in other multi chapter ones I have in mind. 
> 
> If you like this, kudos and comments are much appreciated!   
> As usual, I can be found on Twitter @ gothbyleth!

“L-Linhardt… don’t worry abo-”

“If you do not shut up right now I will finish you off myself.”

Ferdinand flinched as Linhardt’s hand moved from his chest to hover over his waist, the bright and searing glow from his healing spell slowly mending the nasty wound inflicted by some dark magic Ferdinand hadn’t avoided in time. The battle had been won, but before Ferdinand could even put away his lance he had collapsed onto the ground, unable to force himself up again. 

He had barely registered Linhardt pulling him close, only vaguely hearing his voice in the distance, as if he was underwater far away from everything around him. Although Ferdinand couldn’t make out Linhardt’s words at all, his ears near ringing, he could tell he was upset.

Now that he had regained some parts of his consciousness, Ferdinand began to register his surroundings. He only really saw the sky, warm and bright orange from the sun setting for the day, as well as the distraught face of Linhardt, his beloved.

Linhardt was barely holding up, Ferdinand could tell. His face was even paler than it usually was, bright red blood smudged on his cheeks with trails run through them from tears. As valiantly as he tried to maintain his composure, he was shaking and Ferdinand wanted nothing more than to hold and comfort him.

When Ferdinand raised his hand however to touch him, Linhardt swat it away. 

“Will you lay still just this once?” the healer snapped, his breath heaving in what sounded like a sob. “The more you fuss the longer this will take.”

As if to prove his point, Linhardt put more effort into the waist wound. Ferdinand gasped in pain as he could feel his ribs and skin slowly repair under Linhardt’s touch. He always forgot how painful healing spells could be, how acutely aware of one’s own physical sensations one became when receiving it.

“Caspar went to find the others… he will bring them here…. he will…”

Ferdinand’s eyes focused on Linhardt as the latter began to ramble quietly. His heart only ached more seeing Linhard to distraught.

He never wanted to face this war and bloodshed, Ferdinand knew that much. Despite that Linhardt had bravely fought on and healed everyone he could, too often at the cost of his own being. Not only had the constant sight of blood made him anxious and withdrawn, the amount of healing he had to do affected him physically. One could only give so much sustenance before being forced to take from one’s own. 

Ferdinand had asked Linhardt more times than he could count to not do more than necessary. It wouldn’t do to lose him like that, but Linhardt had always refused. Ferdinand had promised to protect him after that, and they both swore to make sure that they’d both live to see the future they fought for. An oath they sealed with a kiss and mutual devotion.

It was no wonder Linhardt was hurt, Ferdinand had nearly broken their promise. He never intended to, there was no way he would.

He had been reckless though, and it had nearly been his end.

“Lin…” Ferdinand sighed.

“What do you want?” Linhardt snarled, though with much less bite this time.

“Forgive me… I promise you I didn’t intend for this…”

“I know.”

“Huh?”

Linhardt sighed as his hand moved from Ferdinand’s waist, examining the wound as he moved onto smaller ones. 

“I know you didn’t intend to get hurt. You wouldn’t break your noble promise, therefore you were just being recklessly stupid.”

Ferdinand couldn’t help but grimace. As always, Linhardt was never one to mince his words, even when Ferdinand was injured. Though it was perhaps especially because he was injured, he figured.   
He hissed slightly as the healing spells knit together some smaller external wounds until Linhardt finally withdrew his hand. His eyes bore into Ferdinand, filled with anger but also with a conviction never seen before.

“I won’t always be near and patch you up like this. I won’t be able to scold you either for being reckless everytime.”

Linhardt was valiantly fighting back more tears, Ferdinand could tell. His lithe, bloodstained hands moved back to Ferdinand’s waist meanwhile. 

“But war and bloodshed be damned I will try. If that’s what it takes to ensure you will live and see the fruit of all our efforts, then I will try with everything I have.”

Without warning, Linhardt pressed his hand roughly against the waist wound, and Ferdinand gasped in surprise. Before he could complain, Linhardt spoke again.

“You will not be hurt like this again.”

Before Ferdinand could respond, shouts from their comrades could be heard. All of their classmates approached quickly and it was a huge relief to see them all alive and relatively unharmed.

Linhardt bent down to kiss Ferdinand’s lips quickly before helping him stand up. Ferdinand’s head almost felt hazy from everything, and he leaned on Linhardt for support, their heads bumping together and his arm squeezing around his love.

They weren’t done yet. No one knew how much fighting they had left before Fódlan could move forward to see a new future.

But Ferdinand longed for it more than ever. Longed for a future of peace where they were all alive and where he could make Linhardt happy, and not worried.

He couldn’t help but indulge in the thoughts that flashed in his head, of a life with Linhardt where they walked hand in hand, sharing their lives and home. Perhaps even as husbands.

Times remained uncertain, but everyone knew that hopes and dreams always made things more worth fighting for.

And as his comrades brought him back to their camps, Ferdinand drifted off and dreamt of the day he may finally propose to his beloved.


End file.
